Ryan OB次元官网网址橰eilly could sense the pressure not long after setting foot in his new locker room.

A proud franchise blotted by a long list of playoff failures B次元官网网址� and without a Stanley Cup since 1967 B次元官网网址� recent Maple Leafs iterations have crumbled under the weight of expectation in this hockey-obsessed market.

OB次元官网网址橰eilly, a Stanley Cup champion acquired from the St. Louis Blues in a February blockbuster trade, was part of a team that finally got over its championship hump in 2019.

TorontoB次元官网网址檚 core led by star forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander are looking to just take their first step B次元官网网址� win a playoff round.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a frustrating, head-scratching puzzle to this point.

Unable to advance in the post-season since 2004, the Leafs have wasted plenty of recent opportunities as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of last springB次元官网网址檚 first-round series.

Toronto was up 3-2 on the Boston Bruins in 2019 and lost in seven games, fell 3-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2020 pandemic-necessitated qualifying round, and blew a 3-1 lead against the Montreal Canadiens in 2021.

Tampa then came back from a 3-2 deficit to win Games 6 and 7 in 2022. Toronto also lost to the Washington Capitals in the first round in 2017 and Boston in 2018.

The squeeze is real with the opener against the Lightning set for Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena.

OB次元官网网址橰eilly has watched the Leafs tortured talent navigate their reality ahead of the curtain being raised on TorontoB次元官网网址檚 latest playoff foray.

He came away impressed.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the mecca of hockey and thereB次元官网网址檚 that pressure on them,B次元官网网址� said the veteran forward, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as post-season MVP in 2019. B次元官网网址淏ut theyB次元官网网址檙e so mature in the way theyB次元官网网址檝e handled it. You can tell the mindsetB次元官网网址檚 right.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not easy to win, but I think we have a great chance to win. IB次元官网网址檓 excited to be a part of it.B次元官网网址�

The Leafs, who are 0-9 with an opportunity to eliminate a post-season opponent since 2018, will once again be looking to exorcise their playoff ghosts in the seven-game matchup with Tampa, a team that hoisted the Cup in 2020 and 2021 before also making last yearB次元官网网址檚 final.

OB次元官网网址橰eilly was the big piece of a mid-season roster reconstruction that saw a flurry of deals also bring fellow forwards Noel Acciari and Sam Lafferty into the fold, along with defencemen Jake McCabe, Luke Schenn and Erik Gustafsson.

B次元官网网址淲e had an extremely good team last year,B次元官网网址� said veteran blue-liner Mark Giordano. B次元官网网址淲e were right there. But all the guys we brought in are really good players who are gonna step in and give us more depth.B次元官网网址�

Snagged ahead of last seasonB次元官网网址檚 trade deadline from the Seattle Kraken, Giordano also got the sense TorontoB次元官网网址檚 core is truly sick of talking about all thatB次元官网网址檚 previously gone wrong.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sucks B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 obviously something thatB次元官网网址檚 there,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his time of year (you) wipe everything in the past clean.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 all about playoff success now.B次元官网网址�

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper pointed out recently that for all the changes to TorontoB次元官网网址檚 roster, the baseline remains the same.

B次元官网网址淒efinitely a different-looking team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut in the end, itB次元官网网址檚 Matthews, itB次元官网网址檚 Marner, itB次元官网网址檚 Tavares, itB次元官网网址檚 Nylander B次元官网网址� go down the list.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 their core, thatB次元官网网址檚 their group. That group hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed.B次元官网网址�

The Leafs were cemented in the Atlantic DivisionB次元官网网址檚 No. 2 slot this season behind the PresidentsB次元官网网址� Trophy-winning Boston Bruins and ahead of Tampa for months.

That slow march allowed head coach Sheldon Keefe to tinker with his forward lines and defence pairs, and give players rest and recovery time when needed.

A concussion suffered by Matt Murray at the beginning of this month made a crease decision that already seemed obvious an easy one, with TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Ilya Samsonov pitted against fellow Russian goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think about it,B次元官网网址� Samsonov said of facing the former Vezina Trophy winner. B次元官网网址淚 worry about how IB次元官网网址檓 feeling.B次元官网网址�

Tampa has played a lot of hockey since 2020, but still has plenty of its title-winning pieces in place with Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and 51-goal man Brayden Point up front.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not playing against Vasilevskiy,B次元官网网址� Samsonov added. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e playing against the full Tampa team.B次元官网网址�

With those weighty expectations on their shoulders.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot that goes into being a Maple Leaf, and itB次元官网网址檚 a special thing,B次元官网网址� Keefe said. B次元官网网址淓verybody that has the honour to be a part of our organization recognizes what comes with that.B次元官网网址�

Tavares said the message when it comes the history and outside chatter is straightforward: B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 let the pressure outweigh the pleasure of this opportunity.B次元官网网址�

Marner reiterated the focus has to be on the present.

B次元官网网址淐anB次元官网网址檛 look too far ahead, canB次元官网网址檛 look behind,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏e in the here and now.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭ake what you can moving forward,B次元官网网址� Matthews added of previous failures. B次元官网网址淏ut we can only focus on what we can control.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址橰eilly said itB次元官网网址檚 hard to quantify what it takes for teams to finally break through.

But thereB次元官网网址檚 little doubt once it happens.

B次元官网网址淵ou truly canB次元官网网址檛 control winning, and thatB次元官网网址檚 the beauty of it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淟uck is a big part of it, but a lot of the luck comes from the work ethic. You do things the right way, sometimes you get the right bounce that could make a difference. ItB次元官网网址檚 details and building it from there.

B次元官网网址淵ou hope thatB次元官网网址檚 good enough to take that next step.B次元官网网址�

The Leafs will soon find out if itB次元官网网址檚 their turn.

B次元官网网址擩oshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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